Late Night Lullabies
by Madeline Axelle
Summary: For some reason she's not sure of, Nakiri Erina ends up in Yukihira Sōma's room yet again. However, she doesn't know that Sōma has expected her this time. (A Sōma/Erina Trilogy)
1. The Wicked Game

_**A/N:** Well, hasn't it been awhile since the last time I write. So this is my first work for Shokugeki No Soma because I've been really into it lately. Plus, I'm jobless! So what's a better time to write than now, yeah?_

 _I know there are like, gazillion Sorina (Soueri? Whatever you call it!) fics out there, but I'd really like to contribute something to this pairing BECAUSE THEY ARE JUST SO DAMN CUTE am I right or am I right?_

 _Oh, and as always, s/o to my galpal (and loyalest spammer) MartengaPop. Love you loads girl 3_

 _Anyway, enough chit-chatting. I hope you guys do enjoy this one and don't forget to R &R! I'd love to hear what you think of it. For any critics, do tell me! But be civil as always ;)_

* * *

 **CHAPTER I**

 _ **The Wicked Game**_

* * *

"Yukihira, are you asleep?"

Erina finally manages to calmly knock on the redhead's bedroom door after moments of contemplating whether she should, but she has finally decided to lower her pride, this time.

And… several times before.

Yes, this particular event is not uncommon for Nakiri Erina. Some nights when the circumstances just won't allow her to sleep -whether it's exams, endless paperworks, or when the winter simply bites- she always found himself near the company of this second-rated chef, a term she used to address him.

But things have changed since Hokkaido. Unconsciously, she's slowly been lowering her guard towards Sōma, and he's not the same Sōma she used to see and judge in the entrance exam. Sure, he looks more mature these times and his cooking has grown light years ahead- she just refused to admit this.

Though there is one last thing Erina denies within herself; she's been seeing Sōma… in a different fashion.

"No, no I'm not. Come in!" He replies casually behind the door.

There it is- the sound of her heart racing once his raucous voice runs through her ears. She immediately feels her cheek flushed as she places a palm above her beating chest, trying to keep herself together before slowly turning the doorknob and step in.

The door reveals the redhead that's been spinning her head lately, sitting with his legs crossed above the cushion. A strikingly friendly pair of golden eyes greet her and even though it's quite late, it doesn't show any sign of weariness. His knife lies still beside the sharpener, as a sign that he's been sharpening it before she comes. But what steals her attention is how his compact physique is being wrapped with his casual light blue sweatshirt and pants.

And how such simplicity awes her- out of all golds and glitters.

"Yo, Nakiri! you can't sleep either?" Sōma asks, in his usual neighborly self.

"Try asking a different question the next time I come over, Yukihira." Remarks Erina brusquely- secretly trying to shelter her guard, "It bores me how you overuse that question."

"Haha, sorry! I'll try better next time," Sōma laughs as he hands Erina a cushion for her to sit on, as usual, "Boy, Nakiri, you really are something else."

As Erina receives the cushion and places it under her, she motions to sit close to Sōma, but then her body hesitates, so she scoots slightly further, creating a gap before she answers, raising one brow, "W-What is that suppose to mean?"

"Nah, don't stress about it," Sōma grins. Not in the smuggish way that irritates her, though. Well, maybe not anymore, "So what brings you here tonight?"

In that question, her body freezes. Truth be told, she doesn't even know why she's here in Sōma's room. It's not exam week, and it's certainly neither a night where she has a lot of paperworks, nor even a terrible snowy night outside. It feels odd to her that earlier, she found herself sleeplessly lying in her bed with her eye on the Polar Star Dorm's clunky ceiling- she swore it could almost fall on her anytime-, but even though she was staring at the little cracks, her thoughts went to the stupidly charming redhead.

And here she is now, stupidly following her guts without even thinking- _Erina no baka_.

Sighing, she tilts her head slightly so she can't see his face, "I… I'm not even sure, to be honest. I simply find it hard to sleep."

"Eh? Something bothering ya?"

 _Yes, my feelings towards you._

Erina mentally slaps her head for silently answering his question like so. Maybe he's noticed she's acting strange tonight. Oh, how she hopes she's not blushing right now.

Alright, it's recovery time for Erina.

"I-It's none of your business, Yukihira!" She lifts her head and replies briefly, folding her hand above her chest, "Don't expect me to come over here to ask for your comfort."

Sōma stays silent regarding Erina's response. He stares confusedly, long and hard at her direction. His golden eyes meet her purple ones. She knows he's probably trying to read her thoughts, but the way his eyes pierced right to her just making her cheek flushed even more.

God, this is embarrassing.

Erina shakes her head slightly before she motions to raise on her feet, "You know, I-I probably should just leave-"

"No, no. Just stay. What's the rush?" Sōma cuts her, pacing his hand as a cue, "I actually expected you."

That remark of Sōma hits her like a jolt, making her head faces him once more, "Huh?"

The next thing she knows, she folds her legs behind like she did earlier and the redhead chef shifts himself even closer to where she's sitting. The feeling of her heart racing is almost unbearable every inch he takes that she slightly tilts her body away from him.

He bends his leg and rests his arm over his knee before peeking behind the bushy hair he owns. Their eyes meet once again and to her, he's getting too close to her face- which is getting hotter every second.

"My goal hasn't changed since the beginning, Nakiri."

Right of the bat, she knows what he exactly means, but she's too worked up to even speak straight. Instead, her purple eyes shot open and her lips slightly part.

And before she knows it, Sōma speaks confidently, smirking ear to ear, "Tonight, 'It's delicious' will finally come out of your mouth."

That's right. The last time she ate Sōma's cooking was before Hokkaido- that Egg Tempura Don.

Erina can still recall how glorious it looked; she admitted she was confused at first, but when she splitted the crispy surface of the egg open, in that moment, she was mystified.

It's imprinted in her head how the rich yolk just oozed out of its barely firmed shell and gradually coated the surface of the rice and merging with the brown sauce naturally like mountain lava seaming the entire land.

At that moment, that simple yet nuts egg dish had something in common with Erina's mind; they were blown.

And when her god tongue made contact with a full bite of it, the robust flavor of the yolk knocked her down like thunder in a sunny day- she did not see that coming when her mind was already blown. This time, her body could just melt within the delicious, umami lava going on in her mouth, and the slight tempura crunch in the back itself could take her to the moon. It was gentle, but it was intense at the same time.

It was amazing, though she didn't say it to his face and got distracted.

So what could he possibly plan right now?

"Hold on to your seat, Nakiri! You don't know what's going to hit you this time." Sōma rolls out of his seat and keenly make his move towards the mini kitchen in his room, leaving Erina full of unanswered questions.

As Sōma prepares this mysterious dish, Erina can't help notice yet the same expression she sees him everytime he's cooking- it becomes scarily familiar. But this time, she quite enjoys watching him getting all excited in the kitchen. Not sure it's because how she sees him as a chef, or how she sees him as… other than a chef.

This time is kind of different, though. Erina can't hear the crackling sound of something frying, or even the sound of boiling water; there's barely any noise. All she can hear is the sound of a gas burner, and she guesses the oven is on since she can see the light inside, but she's not even sure what's in it.

"So you're still not telling me what's bothering you, eh?" Still glued on the dish he's preparing, Sōma's voice suddenly breaks the silence, catching Erina by surprise, "It's weird that I've known some of your personal stuff but now you decided to shut up… for once."

Her face turns sour hearing Sōma's remark that is followed by a cackle of laughter, "Must you always be insufferable about everything, Yukihira?"

Sōma laughs, "Y'know, you're something, Nakiri. I can't figure you out just yet. Sometimes you're bearable, sometimes you're not."

Erina stills hearing his somewhat unexpected reply, but before she can say anything, Sōma continues, "Either way, it's been awesome having you as one of my motivations."

Barely getting a grip, she can feel her cheeks slightly flushed when Sōma sneaks behind her and places the dish that will supposedly blow her away. And the moment the plate makes contact with the table, she can't believe her eyes- she's already surprised.

"Dig in, Nakiri Erina!"

It's a Crème Brûlée.

But not that classic Crème Brûlée that Erina has grown to know- she should've expected it, since it's Sōma's cooking.

The Crème Brûlée in front of her has a shiny, deep amber colored sugar crust on top like a good Crème Brûlée should be, but what mystifies Erina is the fact that it has a somewhat green hue waiting to glow by itself once she cracks that delectable caramel top.

And then it clicks; it's a Matcha Crème Brûlée.

The gulp inside Erina's throat can't be helped, especially when she takes a good look at the triangle black sesame tuile standing tall above the caramel crust, barely cutting through the top and makes a little contact with the custard, and it's screaming to be eaten right away.

She snaps the tuile in half and the flimsiness of it awes her already, but the real magic happens when she takes a bite of the paper-thin biscuit.

The crisp, light layer takes her straight to the roof as her teeth nudge the surface of the biscuit before the whole thing just dissolves and disappears inside her mouth, leaving her with a nutty, sweet aftertaste. There's a hint of sea salt at the back of her crater that makes the tuile itself even more complex.

The tuile itself already wowed her, but then she realized that her god tongue is still longing for that Matcha Crème Brûlée.

After she comes down from her tuile-surge, Erina grabs a metal spoon Sōma has provided beside the white ramekin before she starts tapping gently at the caramel crust.

As the top slightly breaks, the sound of a cracking frozen lake runs through her ears as if she is truly on top of it. Vivid green color peeks underneath the solid amber surface and it is glistening to her eyes, begging to enter her mouth that is now salivating inside.

But… just how did he? She didn't see him using a blowtorch to create such sugary masterpiece.

"I can see why you're curious, aye Nakiri," Sōma cackles- that cackle that could flip her mood upside down, "Just how did I create that crunchy crust without using a blowtorch, yeah?"

Ugh the things he does to get inside her head…

"Y'see, I only use this baby." Sōma smirks, lifting an object wrapped halfly with a kitchen towel, and she did not see it coming.

"A metal spoon?" Erina remarks, eyes shot wide and she barely realized that her lips part slightly. But she does not care a tiny bit at the moment.

"That's right! I heated this up in a gas burner for five minutes, and after sliding here and there, perfectly caramelized sugar happened!"

Erina won't let the fact that she was slightly impressed emerges to the surface- her pride as the God Tongue obviously still means everything, above everything. So she replies pompously, "Hmph. You do realize a mere homecook technique won't impress me, don't you Yukihira-kun?"

"Yeah, yeah what matters the most is the taste, of course. So just dig in before the custard gets warm."

He's right- she has practically lived her whole life depending on that, anyway. No matter how hard she tries to resist that small dish of Matcha Crème Brûlée, the look of it just glued her eyes, and it is begging every second to be eaten.

As the metal spoon scoop a piece of the luminous green custard and the glistening caramel, her lungs take the deepest breath of the night before, by the look of it, the drop of heaven is shoved inside her mouth. Maybe looks can be deceiving for this particular subject. Maybe she could hate it and she can finally tell it to Sōma's face just how disgusting this is.

Then it nudges her tongue- she knows she was wrong.

Her ears can practically hear the sound of an exploding bomb inside her mind. The mild sweet with an inkling bitterness of chilled matcha custard is the perfect combination with a hint of vanilla in the background. With the warm, perfectly sweet flavor coming out from the caramel, the earthy flavor of matcha and rooted toffee flavor merge into a profound melody that sings a beautiful tune inside her mouth.

All the glory that's going on in her mouth sends Erina slightly squirming and she thinks standing up and speaking is the hardest thing to do in this moment. Stop eating is not an option at this point. This dish is simply complex and irresistible, and it is not worth delaying the devouring process even if an earthquake is about to happen.

Before Erina can even take another spoonful, Sōma orders, "Yo, Nakiri! Try digging deeper, there's the last bit of surprise you haven't got."

Curious, her spoon excavate the delicate Crème Brûlée into the bottom of the ramekin only to find a small part of white colored custard and unblended with the dish on her spoon. What could this be? Why isn't this blended? She thought silently before once again, feeding herself.

White chocolate.

And the bright sweetness of it instantly adds a new light to the already elaborate flavor, making her even more wordless than before. There's a slight instinct within her that the three flavor combination would make the dish too "noisy", but what surprises her is the fact that they all just balance each level of sweetness perfectly and making it a harmonious, satisfying dessert. It's a concept of yin and yang, but somewhat reimagined by adding another color that ties the black and white together.

No- Erina knows Sōma didn't do a thing to the white chocolate. He simply cut them into chunks and place it on the bottom of the ramekin before pouring the matcha custard and baking it in a water bath, resulting in a more silky, gentle custard that dances with her god tongue oh-so-slowly, but convincingly.

Oh, she realizes just then this was more than good. She's trying to find the slightest fault to the dish, but this elegant dessert, that is made by Sōma- something Erina never thought he could or would- has finally did something no other dish could.

It seduces her to the very core.

What is he trying to pull here? Does he do this on purpose? To make her feel this way? Well, his previous dishes that she's eaten have always seduced her in some ways, but she always managed to deny it within herself and telling herself that she's had better and that there's no way someone like Sōma could please her appetite.

But this time… there is no escape for Nakiri Erina. She is now trapped in a Crème Brûlée heaven. No- it's not just because of her changing feeling towards him. It was always him and his cooking all along. But she's not going to deny that it does make her come to terms that she does have a crush on Yukihira Sōma. Not because of his father whom she adores as a chef and that she's convinced of it. Not even her God Tongue status could stop herself.

But God forbids that he found out about this. He would just get cockier with that cheeky grin of his that drives her insane. And she can only pray for a miracle that she's not blushing at this second, though it's nearly impossible. Maybe the fact that she's been devouring the little dish nonstop has already says a lot.

"J-Just… How could you… do things like this…" Erina stutters, keeping her eyes glued to the clean ramekin in front of her.

With his ease, playful self, Sōma remarks, "What? Are you surprised that I can cook a good French dish? Don't you know that I was at Shinomiya-shishō's restaurant for Stagiaire and I've been developing-"

"No, you're thinking way too shallow. You think I have no information about that whatsoever?" Erina cuts him and slowly raises her head to eye Sōma who is sitting across her, "You always… left me baffled with your cooking and… how did-"

"Just cut to the chase, Nakiri." Sōma shift his serious golden eyes at her direction, making her heart pounds fast, "Is it disgusting, or is it delicious?"

"I…"

"Though by the look on your face earlier, you did seem like you enjoyed yourself." Sōma's expression turns the complete opposite as he points his index finger at her, cackling like it's the funniest thing he witnessed- which Erina isn't pleased with.

Despite how inferior the situation is, Erina still can't deny that his food was delicious. But then why is it so hard to say it to his face? It's like to compliment him, her mouth is completely sewed up.

Turning her gaze from Sōma, she mutters as she rises from her feet, "I… I have to go."

As she passed the puzzled Sōma who is still sitting on the cushion, she rushes her way towards his bedroom door, but is suddenly stopped by a grip on her arm, forcing her to turn slightly to the obstacle. It's Sōma's grasp, and her face quickly turns red.

"You think I'm gonna let you go this time without knowing the answer? You're dreaming the impossible, Nakiri."

"I… I have no time for this nonsense, Yukihira! Let me go! That's an order." Erina practically snaps at him, but Sōma is not showing any sign of backing down.

"Seriously, though. Are you in a bad mod or is it just because it's my cooking?"

This is typical Sōma to Erina. When does he ever obey her? Out of all people in this school, he's the only one that isn't afraid to look her in the eye, talking to her like she's just 'another person' to him. He's the only person who doesn't seem to have respect for her as she is.

But why is he making her feeling all these alien feelings? How could he do this? Why is he haunting her thoughts? Why is he the only person that has seen her guard down and making it seem like it's not a big deal? Is this why their relationship changing for the better? It's hard to tell whether she likes it or not.

As millions of questions running through Erina's head, she barely noticed that Sōma's face is less than a half feet away from her- enough distance that she can drink all his features. That scar on his right eyebrow. That golden eyes that have been drawing her in lately. And the shape of his lips that she's just starting to notice at this moment.

And how irresistible it is.

Her heart races against the tick of the clock hanging at the corner of his room, and her face flushes even more than before. She breathes like the air is thin, like she is choked, and she has never want air more than anything. No- it's not the Crème Brûlée anymore. It's Yukihira Sōma.

A second later, her mind goes hollow. Her purple eyes soften and the guard has worn down against him. Sōma has won and she's not even sorry. She doesn't mind that her free hand reaches for the band of his shirt- let alone when she's start pulling it into her embrace and dragging the redhead with it.

Nakiri Erina has lost all self control and pride the moment her lips crashes against Yukihira Sōma's, and the gasp that escapes him is completely ignored as she's already gobbled it all up and making him surrender.

The moment those lips touch is the moment where the clock stop ticking and the crickets spreaded throughout the dark of the night go silent. Never in Erina's wildest dream she thought she would melt in such a simple thing as a kiss. That she would see a whole different world within someone else's embrace- let alone Sōma's. But here she is; wearing out all her guard and letting herself follow her heart for once, and she doesn't think she regrets every second of it.

She expects him to detach their lips any moment now and maybe looking at her with such deadpan-ness after pushing her away. But the last thing she sees before slowly closing her eyes is his flickering golden eyes, and it's sealing softly as he returns her kiss by shifting his head to another direction before feeling his other arm creeps up on her back and wearing their little distance off by pulling her even closer that she can feel his heart beating loud as well.

Is this what comfort truly feels like?

Erina truly feels like not letting go, and Sōma is not showing any cue of doing so as well by the way his grip loosened and climbs up her arm to tangle it through her honey blonde hair. What will happen when the kiss over? The thought suddenly creeps up as she realizes what she's doing at this second, coming down from her high.

She's left with no choice; sooner or later, she has to let go.

Slowly, Erina drives Sōma's chest away from her embrace. A string of saliva that connects the two lips separate and they're left looking at each other's eyes as both eyes slowly disclosed. Purple meets golden.

His eyes radiate such softness that she's never seen within him before. And it almost makes her want to pick up where they're left off, but the situation has turn somewhat... awkward, to her. Her lips tremble and she's not sure what's the next step. What will happen after this, only time will tell. Maybe she will avoid him for a while as this is too much to consume.

In a blink of an eye, she takes one last look at him before breaking off any body contact, leaving Sōma's eyes jolting by the sudden action, but she can afford to care about this any longer- she needs to think this through as she leaves him still while she's reaching for the doorknob and let herself out.

Only to realize she might have left a piece of her heart in there.

 **»»-¤-««**


	2. Dare You To Move

_**A/N:** Oh my, where do I start. _

_First thing first, I would like to thank each every one of you for supporting this fic of mine and the oh-so-glorious Sorina ship. Thank you for the kind reviews, favorites, follows, and for even solely reading this. The response have been overwhelming for me since I've never received this much feedback, in the best way possible of course. And because of that, THANK YOU! I wish I could give everyone a hug :'D_

 _Second, I decided to make this fic a little trilogy! So there will be a chapter after this (last one, though). I'm not confident on making it a long series since I'm not so sure I'll be able to keep you guys hooked to my story for long, but maybe I will do one in the future, who knows. This one is from our poster boy's POV, so I hope you enjoy this one as much as you guys enjoy the first one!_

 _Lastly, I'd like to give a s/o to my bff MartengaPop for proofreading this and just being her awesome self. Please, show your support for her amazing stories as well :D_

 _And don't forget to R &R! I'd love to hear some more of your feedbacks or just simply showing your love for this fic :)_

 _Have a good day! And sorry for the long A/N._ **  
**

* * *

 **CHAPTER II  
**

 _ **Dare You To Move**_

* * *

 _Shocked._

He barely realized his arm is still hanging in the air as if it's still trying to stop the blonde who manages to turn his head over heels. Pulling his arms back towards him turns out to be not as easy as it's should be, and he definitely did not see the-thing-that-just-happened coming.

Did Nakiri Erina really just kissed him, Yukihira Sōma- the guy whom she used to cussed and looked down on? Yeah sure, they're now in better terms though it doesn't change Sōma's goal, but for her to get this far definitely don't wrap well around his head.

And the weirdest thing is this; he actually kissed her back- a sign that he actually liked it.

His feet take a step back before he finds himself helplessly leaning against the bed. A deep sigh breaks out of his mouth as he gets a good grip on his white headband, pulling it mercilessly and forcing the knots off. Sweats drip free on his temple in result of this action, but he could care less to wipe them off.

Sōma's mind drifts off to the God Tongue- the one he used to merely see as someone he needs to impress but slowly on the route to becoming a friend regarding how much personal stuff they know about each other because of their habit of late night talking. Heck, she is the only one who knows how he got that scar on his right eyebrow- they've came a long way, alright.

But then they kissed and his world crumbles down on him in a flash. The moment their lips touch was that one moment Sōma's sweat and blood to sway Erina with his cooking all these times seemed to fly that it almost didn't matter to him. He finds it hard to admit, but all he wanted was to drown in it and hoping no one would rescue him. It's the power of the God Tongue's lips, he supposed- the lips that only touches refined, gourmet food ended up touching his.

And then the Crème Brûlée creeps in; did she think it was delicious? Again, if it wasn't, Sōma wouldn't think that she'd kiss him. But was it purely the Crème Brûlée effect?

He's dying to know what she really thinks of it, and he'd really like to hear those words coming out from her own mouth. But on the other side, he's also dying to know what was that kiss for.

Reflectively, Sōma places his hand against his chest, and he wonders why his heart beats differently at the very moment he recalls how her thin, soft lips touch his.

But he's certain of one thing, and one thing only; tomorrow is going to be an interesting day.

 **»»-¤-««**

A heavy brick seems to be weighing down Sōma's eyes still as he reclines himself on the kitchen island of Polar Star dorm, folding up his arms and placing his head over it. He would occasionally scratch his bed hair- initially to sort it out a bit, but it turns out he's only making it even messier. Not even the cheerful chirps from the bird could pull him back to earth regarding the interesting all-nighter he pulled last night.

Oh, just how that one heck of a blonde gets inside his head in a completely different way now. He can still recall how her lips drip caramel and matcha. Breath springs of vanilla fused with a little taste of his cooking- maybe it could never get any better; his cooking taste the best in her mouth. Of course- he certainly wouldn't mind to even brush his lips against hers, once again.

At this moment, his mind is made- Sōma needs to see Erina again. He needs to find out some things. Those things that kept him up all night and he's now seeking a chance where he could kill two birds with one stone. Which bird to kill first, he's still not sure of it. It's a battle between his old dream and a possible new dream.

If only he can get his head off of the kitchen island.

"Eh? Good morning, Sōma-kun."

A string of pastel-colored voice rings through his ear that sends his head up instantly. But then a sinking feeling of slight disappointment emerges once Sōma witness the unexpected neatly-braided bluenette standing across him. Again, the expected person doesn't address him with his first name- he should've known better.

"Ah, morning, Tadokoro." He says, trying his best to uplift himself although the weariness in him is still obvious, "Going to class?"

"Yes, after I have my break- Uh… S-Sōma-kun? Did you sleep at all last night?" Megumi places the tip of her fingers above her mouth right after noticing the obvious circle under the redhead's eyes.

Sōma smiles weakly at her remark, "Yeah, a little bit."

"Do you want some Chai Tea? Hayama-kun made his own tea blend last night. I-I can prepare a cup for you if you want."

The thought of the spice master's Chai Tea is sure hard to resist, so without thinking hard, Sōma lifts his thumb feebly before resting his head on the counter once again, "Sure, thanks a bunch, Tadokoro."

The room is soundless once again. The only thing Sōma can hear is the sound of whisk scraping against a metal saucepan- he's not too sure. Occasional footsteps of Megumi are not bothering him too much, especially when Crème Brûlée and Erina come creeping back inside his mind.

Just… where does he start when he sees Erina? What would he say?

Before a frustrated groan leaks out, the sound of a ceramic mug hitting the table wakes Sōma up from his lightheadedness, sending his head raises once more. Instantly, his nose is welcomed by a lingering smell of cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, and some other he can't identify yet merging into a perfume only Hayama can make. The tired self within him slowly fades away as his lips graze the soft, frothy surface of the aromatic beverage and feel the flavorful liquid smoothly running down his throat into his empty stomach.

This is not just a cup of Chai Tea- Megumi has prepared him a Chai Tea Latte.

The milk has taken a delicious cup of tea to another height. Not only the spices have waken up Sōma's senses within seconds, but the milk Megumi has vigorously whisk over the stove also gives it more body yet still keeping it light enough for the exhausted souls.

As Sōma admires the combination of Hayama and Megumi's craftsmanship, he can't help but notice another warmth that does not come from the cinnamon, and his newly awaken senses is surprised; it is black pepper.

And as a cherry on top of a perfect sundae, Megumi sweetened the tea with a spoonful of good quality honey, making the Chai Tea Latte even more robust in flavor.

"Better, Sōma-kun?"

Jeez, even the effect of Hayama's masterpiece and Megumi's warmth is full of surprise; it distracts Sōma's attention to the bluenette -the maker, the helper, and the friend- who has been sitting across the counter all this time.

"Ah yeah, definitely. Thanks again for preparing this, Tadokoro!" His friendly self seems to have come gradually.

"Don't mention it, Sōma-kun. I was planning on making one for myself anyway." Megumi smiles sweetly as she takes a small bite of a nori rice cracker, "I-If I may ask, what kept you up last night?"

No- he can't tell what happened last night to Megumi yet. Dragging people into this thing may not be best for the current situation since he's not so sure what kind of fucked up situation is this either.

"The usual, testing recipes." Sōma coats the actual fact with a piece of truth, but the next thing coming out of his mouth is out of his control, and it's sprawling out like a word vomit, "Say, you seen Nakiri today?"

 _S_ _ō_ _ma no baka_ \- he thought, but he manages to hide the shock by taking another sip of the Chai Tea Latte.

"Uhm… I-I think she's still changing in her room. What's the matter?"

"Ah. Nah, nothing important."

Megumi stares at him like there's a math problem written on Sōma's forehead. Maybe she's noticed that his behavior is slightly odd, but he's not going to worry about it too much- there are some things that he _should_ worry too much about.

That's right- for once, Yukihira Sōma _is_ uneasy.

"Well, maybe she will be here any minute. I hope she's doing alright, though. I ran into her in the bathroom earlier, and she didn't look… present." Megumi expresses her concern. Head in her hand with mouth slightly pouting.

Those remarks of Megumi surely catches Sōma's attention. Could she be having the same dilemma as him? How exactly does she feel about this?

As he's about to shrug the thought off with a big bite of nori rice cracker, Megumi excites her voice over something that instantly forces Sōma to turn his head to what Megumi refers, "Ah there she is. Good morning, Nakiri-san!"

A beat of a drum within Sōma's chest can be clearly sensed as his eyes land on a honey blonde figure standing in front of the kitchen entrance fully dressed with the well-known Totsuki uniform. Purple eyes sparkle a rather surprised glow at the golden eyes' direction. Her body freezes as if his feet are obliged to stop her tracks.

He takes one heavy breath as their eyes meet once again. Hot and cold the kitchen turned, but with a blush on her cheek and a bead of sweat running on his temple are enough to prove that it leads towards the hot.

And if Sōma could ever follow his animality, he would just come over there and wrap his arm around that figure once again.

"E-Eh, w-what is going on? W-Why is the atmosphere changing?" Megumi stutters once she notices the tension that wasn't present before Erina walks in.

Catching Sōma by surprise, Erina takes a glance towards Megumi, before going back to him.

And just like that, she shifts herself outside, drifting off without leaving any single mark. The only thing Sōma can hear before he can feel himself fully awaken is the sound of her fast-paced footsteps, and they are slowly fading away.

Without any second thought, Sōma's feet move as an attempt to catch up to Erina's surprisingly rapid movement, leaving the yelping Megumi alone in the kitchen. The hell with thinking of what to say- if Erina keeps avoiding him like this, what could be resolved?

Sōma makes a right turn towards the exit and the God Tongue's tail is nowhere near him. Her running figure is still visible, but it's becoming smaller every second. The hallway to the exit seems like a mile away to his way worn self. Oh, how he wish his strength is completely built by now, but no- the allnighter starts to take a toll on him now as he finds himself limping and out of breath by the time he exits the dorm.

He's sweating, panting, but there's nothing he can do now as Erina's frame outside the gate turns to dot before it makes a left turn. The last thing he sees within that little dot is, he thinks, her; taking a one last look at him, but she probably hopes that he can't catch her up.

Man, Sōma swears if she wasn't an undefeatable chef, she'd be one hell of a track star.

His hand is now on his knee. Breathing is no simple task for him and it literally feels like someone is lighting up fire inside his lungs. If only he isn't so tired, he could've easily caught up to her and get these things all over.

Again, his mind wonders; why is he getting himself into all this trouble? It's not like he's into Nakiri Erina- the one who possesses the oh-so-powerful taste bud. All he wants from her is her acknowledgement and that would be it.

Or is he?

"Ah, typical Sōma-kun; clueless about woman now, aren't we?"

A familiar male voice startles him and he jerks up towards the source. It is no other than the one who walks around wearing nothing but a piece of white cloth people called fundoshi to cover his junk- at least that's what he's wearing now. Over his shoulder is a hoe full of dirt, and his entire body is covered in sweat. Obviously, he's been out all morning gardening, yet he's flashing that million dollar smile like there's nothing in the world that can wear him out.

"What're you talking about, Isshiki-senpai?" Sōma uninterestedly ask, still bending down to straightened his slightly cramped legs.

"I saw Erina-cchi kissed you last night. What else would bother you this much?"

In that instance, Sōma jumps out like a lightning bolt just mentally strikes him.

"HUH?! H-HOW DID YOU… JUST- WHEN WILL YOU STOP LURKING ON YOUR KŌHAI ISSHIKI-SENPAI?!" His jaw drops and he's almost lost for word, but the urge to cuss the half naked man with a high-pitched voice is just unstoppable.

Responding to Sōma's outrage, Isshiki just laughs it off, "Now, now, Sōma-kun, there is no need to be mad. It was an accident. I tried talking through the tube but there wasn't any response from you, so then I opened the ceiling and accidently saw the... little thing."

"YOU SAW THE WHOLE THING DIDN'T YA?" Sōma replies, still raising his tone towards his senpai.

Once again, Isshiki just exposes his innocent smile, "No worries, Sōma-kun. When I saw Erina-cchi pulled your collar and kiss your lips, I closed the ceiling right away."

If Sōma was standing in front of a mirror, he must had seen a reflection of a well-ripened tomato- that's how mad red and embarrassed he is. But again, what's done is done, and he can't just make Isshiki unsee what he has seen.

"Now come with me, Sōma-kun. Let's have a conversation."

Seeing no way out of it- and giving up on trying to come up with an excuse, he finds himself sluggishly being dragged by the ass-bared peep.

 **»»-¤-««**

"I see, so that's how it happened." Isshiki mumbles once Sōma's unscrambled what actually happened and what Isshiki didn't see. Sōma is left with no choice here- might as well let his senpai know. Maybe he can help him in some way, "I think she has a thing for you, no Sōma-kun?"

He sighs at Isshiki's remark, letting his gaze falls to the vivid vegetable garden of Polar Star dorm as his lung breaths on the fresh, morning air. The sun's getting higher every minute, but the warmth soaking within his skin is rather enjoyable and slightly calms him down.

"Nah, dunno." He briefly answers, revolting himself from the wooden bench and support his weight by leaning forward, "Seems like too wild of a thought."

"And I think you're starting to as well."

To Sōma, the picture of him having a crush on Erina is absolutely unthinkable. Heck- before this mess happened, she's just the mighty princess a stable boy has to impress.

But he for sure can't deny that she's… ethereally beautiful.

"Yeah, right," Sōma scoffs, "The gourmet world royalty and a diner brat sitting on a tree."

Again, Isshiki laughs, "You're in denial, Sōma-kun. How unlikely of you."

"What? I-"

"You kissed her back, and now you want to kiss her again. Isn't that true?"

Sōma throws his glance somewhere else, not wanting to look at the almost-bared senpai who seems to see right through him. Guess he's cornered now, isn't he?

Seeing no way to escape the freakshow of a senpai's interrogation- and thinking that his senpai might have made a good, possible point in spite of him regretting his decision to come along , he admits, "Aight, fine. But that's not the only thing-"

"Your Crème Brûlée; you still want recognition from Erina-cchi, don't you?"

"Okay, you're not a psychic by any means, are ya?" Sōma replies, massaging his nose bridge.

Cackling almost hysterically, he remarks, "No, no, Sōma-kun. Don't be like that. I just positioned myself in your shoes and figured what your one-sided, youthful mind might be thinking."

When he talks like that, he swears his senpai sounds like he's 62. What is with him and 'the youth' anyway? But no, he can't afford to fully develop that thought as one thing he particularly said catches his attention.

"One sided?" Sōma says, scrunching his forehead.

"I remember the day when we first met, you told me you were going for the top spot in Totsuki, right? But in order to do that, you need to have Erina-cchi acknowledgment as a chef, and that sole goal has been the only thing on your mind until this event throws you off and makes you confused. Yes, Sōma-kun?"

Isshiki's word is not only right on target like a perfect game of darts, but it also stirs his thoughts and feelings quite a bit more than before. He never really thought about his significant other romantically before, so maybe this is how it feels to do so?

As the gleeful chirps of the flying birds start to dim, his senpai continues without minding Sōma's idle response, "A woman's heart is a deep ocean of secrets, Sōma-kun, especially when you're talking about someone like Erina-cchi. Hasn't it dawn on you that food is everything here in Totsuki? With her sky-high pride and her noble status, I bet she's as confused as you are now."

"Eh, y'think so?"

"Indeed, Sōma-kun. You know how her father was, so basically, such thing as a feeling of affection is alien to her, because she has never felt any before she lives in this Polar Star dorm we call our home. Don't you think so?"

Come to think of it, his shameless, overexcited senpai might be right- something he never thought he would come to such conclusion. She does receive affections from his fellow Polar Star guys, though. But in terms of romantic relationship, maybe it is too, new to Erina despite all the shōjo manga she's been reading. It's as much of a love story she could get at this point.

"But… what about my cooking?" Sōma questions, suddenly remembering the thing that has been his most importance.

"Oh, Sōma-kun. Always eager for verbal recognitions." Isshiki chuckles, "It's simple; did she look like she enjoyed your Matcha Crème Brûlée?"

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, yeah. But-"

"Then you have your answer, Sōma-kun."

But clearly, to him a mere look isn't enough. He wants that particular mouth to say his cooking is delicious or he won't be satisfied.

"You don't get it, senpai. It's not enough for me." Sōma complains.

"So you would rather have her looking miserable but say your cooking is delicious, then?" Isshiki remarks calmly once again, smiling as if he knows that's obviously not what Sōma wants.

"What- that's outta the question, senpai. 'Course not!"

"Can't you see it now, Sōma-kun? The clearest voice to be heard is something that is shown. And the fact that…"

His ears have gone temporarily deaf once that last sentence runs through him like an endless stream of waves. Mouth forms an 'o' as if it's a sign that he's been given a wake-up call. He still can see Isshiki's mouth moves and keep mumbling about some secrets that can't be hidden forever, but it seems like his ears just refuse to pay attention as a lightbulb appears inside his brain and it slowly starts showing something he cannot see before.

And a confident smile emerges within his previously absent minded face.

"...and there is nobody in this world- Eh, Sōma-kun? Why are you smiling like that?" Isshiki stops muttering gibberish and asks.

He grins, "I've got it, senpai. I've got a plan."

"So you are indeed into Erina-cchi, right?" Isshiki invokes rather excitedly. Hands joined together and all. Even Sōma thinks he sees stars in the hue of his turquoise eyes.

"Oh, no. I'm still not sure of that." Sōma answers rather truthfully.

"Oh…" Isshiki remarks dejectedly, "So you're going to confront her about your cooking, then?"

"No, no. Definitely no."

Isshiki eyes him dumbfoundedly, blinking once in a while as if he's trying to read his mind once again, but Sōma isn't turning away this time. Instead, he eyes him back convincingly. He's still uncertain about his feelings yet his features beam as if he already know what the outcome will be.

"So what are you thinking, Sōma-kun?"

Smugly, Sōma replies, "Ha. You think I will easily give this out after everything I've told you about?"

At his pompous response, Isshiki stares at him hard like he's trying to break through Sōma thick wall and yet take another guess, slightly furrowing his brows. But what surprises Sōma is when his senpai slowly lifts his head before jumping and exploding like scintillating fireworks on new year's eve night sky.

"How wonderful, Sōma-kun! How absolutely wonderful! A star-crossed love story is finally happening in this wonderful Polar Star dorm! Oh, I've been waiting for this to happen forever, and now we're finally going to have our first couple ever! Oh wow, let us celebrate this special moment by basking in the ambiance of our youth and cook for everyone in the dorm, Sōma-kun!" Isshiki shouts as he practically jumps up and down the wooden bench, making it shakes vigorously.

Normally, Sōma would cringe whenever Isshiki does something weird and freaky like he's doing right now- especially if he starts exaggerating his speech and go overboard on the star-crossed lover thing. But now, he simply looks up at his giddy-looking senpai, folding his arms as his face twinkles and thinking this might be worth a celebration after all.

 **»»-¤-««**


	3. A Supernatural Delight

_Disclaimer:_ I do not own Shokugeki no Sōma.

* * *

 ** **CHAPTER III****

 _ **A Supernatural Delight**_

* * *

9:05 PM; the time shown on Erina's neon pink electric clock while she's sitting still like The Thinker sculpture. The only thing moving is her pen dancing a hardcore salsa with her slender fingers as her eyes are glued to the unsolved Food Waste Management homework lying on her desk.

At the top of the page, the question's written: _What causes food waste in the supplier-retailer interface?_

This is why it's her least favorite subject: waste is not something she deals with. She hires somebody to do it to whatever the case it is. The only thing that touches her is fresh, untainted ingredients and she'll always turn those rough diamonds into pieces of immaculate jewelries. Not that she fails at the course, though- Nakiris are expected to excel at everything.

Speaking of waste…

A certain redhead pops into her mind, a reminiscent that it has been three days since she last spoken to him. Or the last time they made a… face-to-face contact- the least way she could ever put it.

Obviously, she's been having a miserable time avoiding that brat. Not only that it's hard that they had to pass each other occasionally at the dorm or main building- which she would easily throws her face in the opposite way, but also the way he managed to greet her nonchalantly every single time somehow offended her. More than that one time a brainless, so-called two-hatted chef served her sockeye salmon ice cream for dessert and called it his "breakthrough innovation".

Much to her annoyance, at times she would find herself stealing glances at that golden-eyed _baka_ in class, and got bothered when one time that _baita_ named Kawashima Urara got way too friendly towards him, giggling and dangling on his arms and all. Typical dense rascal would laugh away with her without returning any more gesture.

Frustrated with the thought, the pen that's once in her hand got thrown across the desk before she tangles her fingers on her honey blonde locks and making a resentful pull out of it. Yukihira Sōma- why must it be him out of all people?

Erina admits; she misses him, and she hates him for it. She misses their private late-night haven that used to flies time. Even she misses that crooked grin on his face every time he gets too cocky. But then he had to seduce her with that stupidly amazing Crème Brûlée resulting in her kissing the life out of him.

He's made a fool out of her, and now she has to try to live with this desire to kiss him again.

She is about to frustratedly reclines her back and closes her notebook with an undone work when a knock on her bedroom door is heard.

"Who is it?" She shouts.

But there is no answer from the other side.

Irritatedly, she rises from her chair and steps towards the door. But come to think of it, maybe a little distraction from her Sōma-clouded mind might not be that bad. Perhaps it's Hisako bringing her some new shōjo manga series she requested this afternoon.

She opens the door, and leaning to the side is the same person that she doesn't wish to linger on her mind a while ago. That same person with that striking red hair and golden irises that not even paperwork could distract her from it. Sturdy figure is dressed with his usual navy blue laid-back sweats, and his callous hand is rested loosely against the door frame with that bewitching smile spreads across his face.

"Y-Yukihira Sōma-kun?!" Erina stutters, almost reflectively wants to shut the door, but that grin of his has turned her hand into a brick. "W-What are you doing here?"

"Yo, Nakiri! You look happy to see me." Sōma greets her as if he's unaware that her jaw is practically on the floor.

"I-In your dreams, Yukihira. Get over yourself." She pouts, folding her arms as an attempt to stay cool, which fails since her face is showing fifty shades of red.

"Haha, typical mean Nakiri Erina." He laughs, "Anyway, you're not busy now, right?"

"And if I am?"

"I wanna take you somewhere either way."

That statement of Sōma gets Erina a mini heart attack- God forbids that he meant it as a date. Though she can't help it; she kind of like the idea of him asking her out a little bit.

But she has to keep her ice queen persona- wouldn't want him to be all arrogant if he ever find out about her stupid feelings.

"W-What?! N-Now?"

Well, that didn't work, did it? Brilliant move, Erina.

"Yeah, it- whoa, Nakiri. You okay? You're flushed like crazy." Sōma's eyes bug out and before she knows it, his palm is touching her forehead.

"I-I'm fine!" She discards his hand flusteredly like it's a flock of mosquitoes flying around her head, "Let's j-just go and see what kind of importance it is that you have to show me at this unreasonable hour."

"Jeez, relax Nakiri. Wearing your uniform without the blazer is just fine." He sniggers.

"W-Why do you assume it's about that?!" She snaps, realizing she has forgotten to change into her nightgown. Though maybe this is not a bad thing.

"Nah, doesn't matter." Sōma says, and to her dismay, he reaches for her wrist and pulls her outside her humble bedroom before making his way rapidly, "We're just gonna have fun tonight."

As Erina struggles to shut the door behind her, she notices how his robust hand wrapped around her small wrist. For a palm that is not the smoothest, it surprisingly feels warm and… right. His grip solely tells her confidently that tonight is going to be one of those nights that come once in a blue moon.

A night that Nakiri Erina would never forget.

"Ah, one more thing," Sōma's gaze shifted back to where she is being dragged, "You need a helmet."

 **»»-¤-««**

The high-caliber self within Erina never thought she would find herself in the bustling streets of Tokyo when the dusk has completely fallen. Wind blowing through her face like it intends to wipe your face off into a blank canvas as the rapidly moving moped scooter she's on runs passed the sprawling metropolis of bright lights and lively commuters.

This is definitely different from the posh circumstances she has been placed since birth. The moped seat vibrates below her in the strangest way possible, and her eyes would wince uncontrollably because of the dusts or how the strands of her honey blonde hair would get in the way of her sight. Moreover, being on a bike is as close as it gets to instability and the feeling that it could fall over anytime gets her nervous like nothing else- wait until Hisako have an earful about all these.

To top it off, she never thought she would find herself circling her arms around Yukihira Sōma's torso and holding on to his jacket like her life depends on it. And actually liking the warmth of his back pressed against her.

Yet there's just one thing that's bothering her.

"Where exactly are you taking me, Yukihira?" She asks, surprising herself that her voice comes out louder than intended. Talking on a moving bike isn't exactly the easiest thing, after all.

Almost shouting, Sōma replies, "The journey's no fun if you know where you're going, Nakiri! Sit back and enjoy the ride!"

"So are you saying that you're just taking me around town over this death ride?!"

He turns his head at her while laughing at her franticness, "'Course I know where I'm going! Besides, I kinda get the feeling you actually like where you are right now."

As she brushes the strands of her hair away from her face, Erina realizes that he's right.

It mesmerizes her how different the world is when not being seen from the translucent car window- the world seems more vivid and alive without it. City lights are passing her by rapidly like comets and falling stars in the sky. She loves how the wind makes contact to her flesh like a second skin and how adrenaline rushes through her blood like an endless stream of waterfall since they left Totsuki, and shocks herself of how much she's enjoying those things right now.

"Ha. So now you're Yukihira Sōma: The Wiseacre." Erina leers. Again- not wanting to acknowledge him.

"Call it what you want, but I know you need to let loose. Big time."

"This is already more than I can bear, Yukihira!"

"Really, Nakiri? 'Cause I haven't done this."

At his remark, she can see Sōma pressing the handlebar even deeper and suddenly the speed of the moped increases to the stage where Erina feels like she's left her soul behind her. If the sole growl of the moped doesn't get her shaking, it must be the excited squeal coming out from the redhead.

And then she finds herself letting out an intolerable scream and gripping harder to his stomach at his action.

Thankfully, the moped slows down immediately and as Erina's soul starting to come back, Sōma says, "How's that for a change, eh Nakiri?"

That adrenaline rush she just had is nothing like before- he has taken her to another level of bravery, and instead of yelling and begging him to stop, Erina finds herself wanting more of that rush.

And for the first time tonight, that lips of hers curves up into a genuine, wide smile. "You are as crazy as your cooking, Yukihira."

"'Least I've got it going on, eh?" He shrugs, "Now let's do it one more time, Nakiri Erina! Hold on tight!"

This time, Erina is prepared when the moped speeds up, and she's not flinching even a little. Instead, she lets out another jolly shriek while keeping her grip on Sōma tight.

"Louder, Nakiri!" Sōma shouts without slowing the moped down. "Like this: WOOOOH!"

At this moment, Erina notices how carefree he is, not even the stares from people passing by can stop him from doing that. He looks happy- and she wants to be as happy as he is right now.

She's thinking about all the things that's been holding her back all her life; her father, her dark childhood, the pressure she has as a part of Nakiri family and her God Tongue status, the boundaries with the world, and everything that limits her movement.

And with Sōma here as the one who's been indirectly encouraging her, now she wants to let loose- let go of those baggages that have been weighing her down.

Slowly, she lets one hand go from Sōma's jacket and lifting it in the air, feeling the air brushing through the gaps of her fingertips before finding herself lifting the other one.

With a deep breath beforehand, she lets it all out. She doesn't care that it almost sounds throaty, and she's glad to finally let everything out of her chest with one, loud scream- the loudest she has ever gotten out. For once, she doesn't care about the people around her.

When a hand returns to Sōma's abdomen, she can feel two gentle taps from him on her hand as he kudos, "Haha, atta girl!"

And to her surprise, his hand stays there.

Thereafter, they spend the rest of their way in a blissful silence; only him searching for her hand every time he lets go to adjust the moped, and her searching for the warmth of his back as she rests herself on it.

Until they pull up to a smaller part of Tokyo: Sumiredōri Shopping District.

 **»»-¤-««**

Erina still can't believe her eyes when she read the black and red sign saying 'Yukihira Diner' earlier when they arrived, let alone when Sōma gave her a quick tour of the place. There were some specks of dust here and there, but it's pretty clear that Sōma does air the place out once in awhile.

But apparently, giving her a tour while airing out the place isn't Sōma's true intention of bringing her here.

Instead, he has brought her to the rooftop of this little building. Not the prettiest looking place especially with the dents and wrecks that can't be overlooked, but when her sight lands on what lies across the place, it's a completely different story.

Spreading in front of her eyes is a charming view of Sumiredōri Shopping District's dimming streetlights and activities. Shop owners tidying up their shops and shutting of the lights that dazzle the shop's name, and her ears catch mumbles of pleasant small talks between the neighbors before they go their separate ways. Erina has grown to love how simplicity can brings so much joy to people, and to herself as well.

And when she looks slightly further, lying there is all the glory of Tokyo's twinkling skyline she passed earlier- and it's even more beautiful up here.

"Yo, Nakiri, you're shivering. You okay?"

Startled by Sōma's voice, Erina turns her head at him. It seems like he has set up a red, checkered pattern picnic blanket with a basket on the edge of it. He's already sitting nicely on top of the blanket, stretching his leg while she's still standing like an idiot unaware of her surroundings and the fact that her cotton-covered skin is trembling.

"Huh? Oh… Seems like it." Erina answers plainly as she folds her arm to make herself warmer.

"Ah. Here, here! Use my jacket and sit down. I've brought a lotta munchies for us." Sōma unzips his sweatshirt effortlessly before handing it over to her.

The thought of Sōma caring about her well-being obviously gets her stomach churn slightly, and it shows when a dash of redness appears on Erina's cheek as she receives the jacket and slowly wrap herself in it.

As she sits next to him and adjust her skirt, she can't help herself to not sniff Sōma's warm sweatshirt over her voluptuous figure. Lingering on her nose is a warm, zesty scent of musk and dry woods, and it allures her to drown herself in the soft material by pulling it even closer to her skin.

"Here's some black tea, it'll warm ya." the redhead offers, smiling at her with ease.

At the gestures he's been showing her all night, her mind can't help the wonderment of the guy who's covered in a loose, simple black t-shirt and his true purposes of bringing her here.

Could it be… to confront her? About his Crème Brûlée? Or even worse, that little 'accident'?

Except for that morning after, it's odd to her that he has been acting normal- perhaps too normal. Maybe he's not as affected as she is… But somehow that thought gets her heart sinking.

"Yukihira-kun," Erina says as she takes the styrofoam cup from Sōma's hand, "Why did you go through all these things just to bring me here?"

He seems taken aback by her question with the way his lips slightly parts, but then a simple little smile appears within the feature of his face, "Nah, we haven't had a proper chat these few days, so I figure I should bring you out here while showing you Yukihira."

"Is that all?" She attempts on pulling the trigger after she drinks a sip of the warm tea. While the great depth of the tea combined with subtle yet satisfying sweetness from the rock sugar amazes her tongue, her mind just isn't set on the tea.

But much to her surprise- and aggravation, Sōma remarks casually as he reclines himself backwards, supporting his weight with his elbow, "Well, you've kinda been acting super strange lately, I don't know why."

"It's not a time to joke around, Yukihira."

"Eh, so what d'you want me to say now, Nakiri?"

As irritated as she is right now by his nonchalance, maybe this is for the best for not spoiling the moment and turning it into something awkward once again. Having some moments alone with Sōma ironically turns out to be all she needs to scare the bug of a thought away.

So with a sigh beforehand, she forfeits, "N-Nothing."

"Now that you're calmer," His voice trails off by the sound of scrunching plastics in his pocket, and then he exhibits the half-opened package in his hand, "Y'can have some of these. You like sweets though, right?"

"Huh… What is that?" Erina eyes that piece of colorful, crumpled plastic like such thing never even exist in her world.

"Huh? You've never had this kinda candy?"

Erina shrugs, "In case you haven't noticed, I've never had time for candies, Yukihira. Even when I was little, my stomach is always full because of all the taste-testing duties."

At that explanation, Sōma nods understandingly, "Well, there's always a first time for everything, eh? People called this gummy worms."

"Excuse me?" She cringes, disgusted by its mere name- how dare he ask her to put something in her mouth which name contains a bug belonging in dirt.

"These aren't real worms, Smartypants." He cackles sarcastically- which Erina isn't pleased with, "They just look like it. Here, give one a whirl!"

Although feeling skeptical, she draws her fingers inside the package, and the squishy yet slightly sticky texture already gets her teeth gritting- maybe this is how it feels like touching one of those Play-Doh Alice used to play with as a child. Erina never wanted to touch them since it grossed her out how it kind of defile Alice's nails.

She retracts her fingers out of the bag and pulls out a red-colored worm limping between her digits, but it's neither the look nor the texture that suddenly shakes her world like a leaf in the wind.

Instead, it's Yukihira Sōma's sudden movement of taking away the translucent gummy worm from her. With his mouth.

Within a split of a second, his tender lips subtly graze through her fingertips as how the feather of an angel's wings would alludes one's skin. The strangest thing is how much that little contact gets her… flushed and seduced, once again. With that, her mind goes wrecked once the memory of that very lips on hers just a few days ago comes to the surface.

Then Erina feels her heart skips a beat.

"Nah, not the red ones. They're my fave." He tells her once he retracts.

But Erina hears nothing but emptiness. Her lower lip drops when the softness lingers within her fingertips. Her heart races a million miles an hour and the temperature within her raises through the roof.

Especially now that Sōma's looking deeply into her purple eyes.

It's as if he's sensing the beat of her heart that thumps like the drum in a thanksgiving day parade. The red tip of the gummy worm still hangs loosely in between his teeth resulting in his lips slightly parting. His face is close- so close to hers that Erina can practically feel his breath sweeping on her face, and she has this strong urge to just pull that worm off his mouth… with hers.

"Nakiri…" Sōma mutters, voice so deep and full of mischievousness, which Erina replies with a soundless hum, "I didn't know you have a mole under your eye."

Did he really just…

"W-What?" Erina reflectively pats the area, which then turns into a glare towards Sōma after seeing a black dot on her palm. It must have stuck there from the motorcycle ride, or at least that's what she assumed.

She should've known better after all. It's Yukihira Sōma: says random things in serious moments- maybe it should be written on his tombstone.

"Hey, look it came off!" Sōma cackles wildly. His index finger points at her face, and she's just not having it. Especially after misreading the situation.

"Hmpf. Y-You are just as ignorant as ever, Yukihira. I never have moles on my face." Erina frowns before throwing her face away from him.

"Haha, aight, aight. Sorry! Here, take the green one."

 **»»-¤-««**

It's true what people say after all; time really does fly when you're having fun, and if it was up to past Erina, never in her life would she even think of relating the word 'fun' to Sōma's presence. Well, at least tonight she's no longer denying it.

But here she is; sitting close to the buffoon himself, tires herself from all the laughs and giggles she shared with him without realizing it's less than an hour away to midnight. They played a few games of cards, which she mostly won. But when the redhead won once, she told him that it was her pity since he was such a sore loser. Friendly- or almost flirty- gestures were thrown here and there, and Erina would blush every time she found Sōma's hand on her upper arm.

Her stomach is stuffed with his tonkatsu onigirazu he brought with him. Although it had gone slightly cold, Erina did enjoy the crispy yet succulent pork sandwiched between the plump rice that had been neatly wrapped with a piece of nori. The addition of cabbage added a great crunch to the dish, and when the deep, sweet flavor of the sauce came through, her mind was shocked by a slight mustard aftertaste.

The one thing that was odd to her is that he didn't ask her how it tasted.

It was somehow written all over the dish that it wasn't made to impress her like it was on his Crème Brûlée. But the onigirazu was more… comforting to her, in a way. It was sincere, laid-back, and instead of seducing her, it touched her blooming feelings towards him.

Those thoughts runs through Erina's peaceful state of mind like an ocean breeze as she eyes the redhead next to her, whose face beams when it faces the sky full of stars that's scattered magnificently- reminds her a bit of the Hokkaido train ride memory.

"Yukihira," Erina utters, "I had fun tonight, thank you."

"Nah, it's no biggie. Just glad you did." Sōma smiles, turning his attention to her in an instance, "So we're cool, yeah?"

She remarks with a simple smile and nod.

"'Nyways, what time is it?" He asks her.

Erina lifts her hand, "It's thirty minutes before midnight. We should head back, Yukihira."

Instead of agreeing to her, Sōma yawns, "Y'know, maybe later. I'm kinda sleepy now."

And then it happens; before Erina even realizes, he already rested his head above her lap, and she finds herself petrified at the gesture.

"Y-Yukihira! What do you think you're doing?!" She jerks. Cheeks blushed, heart rushing and she's helplessly trying to lift his head off her thigh, but Sōma denies that gesture by weighing his head down, "G-Get off me!"

"C'mon, just give me 15. I'm dead tired." He insists. "Besides, it's Friday night. We've no class tomorrow."

"B-But-"

With his fingers over her lips, her nags are cut. He puts his index finger over his own pouting lips as her cue, but with her face all flushed, all she can think about is how good those fingers feel over her lips- those fingers that create bewitching magic, is pressed tightly over her lips.

"That's better." He says once he pulls his hand down. "Now I won't hit trees on the way back to the dorm."

"F-Fifteen minutes! And then we head back." Erina demands.

"Aight, Ojou-sama."

Then, an immediate silence falls on them. Erina has decided to let him lay his head… over her lap.

As awkward as it is at first for her, she finally comes to the conclusion that she actually quite like the feeling- the feeling of his hair against her skirt, and a little part of her thigh. It's another kind of warmth she's never felt before, and she doesn't mind if he would stay there longer than 15 minutes.

But of course, Erina doesn't want him to know that.

She throws her gaze upwards, and the twinkling stars and the warmth light of the moon greet her. Though the cold pricks more, she's thankful that she's still wearing Sōma's jacket- and secretly hoping that he isn't cold with only a t-shirt on. The clear sky above allows her to see even the baby stars winking at her once in awhile, as if the nature is teasing their closeness, but instead of feeling embarrassed with the strange thought, she smiles it off and shakes her head.

Looking to her right, Erina's sight lies on a pair of skinny yet well-built legs of Sōma. One of them is bent, and observing upward, his arms are neatly fold above his abodemen. She likes how his signature white headband circles his wrist, not sure why. But it will always reminds her of Sōma.

And then her viewpoint shifts to what lies above her thigh, and Erina's breath has been taken away.

Sōma is actually sleeping. He's looking as peaceful as ever with his eyes closed and lips separated slightly. His features are calm and he's even better looking with the moonlight that highlights his cheekbone. That cheerful face resting is actually quite a sight to behold- maybe it'll become her favorite expression of his.

But then Erina's eyes move to the streak of the scar above his eyebrow. She never noticed how wide it is until now, so with a curiosity in the back of her mind, a thumb of hers briefly touches the engraved scratch. Sōma sleeps still, thankfully- assuming it doesn't hurt. Taking it as a cue, she adds more intensity to her thumb and starts moving it.

His bushy, red hair- it hangs effortlessly along Erina's lap, looking extremely soft and… strokable.

At the sight of it, her hand reflectively moves towards the smooth lines of his hair. No- she isn't aware of herself when the softness enchants her that her slender fingers start tangling themselves in between the red strands after a few strokes. Let alone when she starts digging deeper that the tip of her fingers can feel his scalp.

And when her digits reach the end of his red locks, that's where it jolts her like a splash of hot oil that she has been brushing Sōma's hair.

 _What was I doing?!_ She thought before abruptly retracts her hand, but to her surprise, it's quickly caught by Sōma's sudden grasp on her wrist.

And slowly, his eyelids reveal those striking golden eyes, once again.

"Why stop there, Nakiri?" He breathes, smirking at the rosiness of her cheek till Erina finds herself panicking uncontrollably , "I'm just starting to enjoy it."

"I- uh… J-Just… D-Don't kid yourself, Yukihira! W-Why would I ever-"

She barely gets herself together when she has her hand pinned down to the side by no other than Yukihira Sōma, who has swiftly shifted himself into a sitting position, and she doesn't realize when the crook of her neck is being pulled towards him- towards his one feature that won't leave her mind alone.

Sōma's lips touches hers and her heart explodes. Her shock is completely devoured by his tenderness and instantly, the feeling she had the first time their lips met comes rushing back on her like an endless waves of tsunami.

She sees it again; the other, majestic world she only sees with his lips on hers. When the silence of the night goes into a deeper solitude with only sparks of fireworks to be seen. The sound of her heart pounding ringing through her ears isn't stopping her this time- she wants more.

And when Erina finds her features slowly relaxed by his crawling fingers to her scalp, her free hand cups his jaw line as he opens his mouth on her. The deep sigh coming from Sōma's throat is even more audible when her fingers explore the strands of his red hair once more.

To her disappointment, Sōma slowly pulls away, leaving the taste of his lips lingering a great deal that it magnets her slightly.

"Not bad for a second kiss, huh?" He cooed playfully as her purple eyes slowly disclosed.

Though their nose still touches and the air still pronounced the heat explicitly, the urge to clear the situation out isn't dimming within her by all means, which then comes out unexpectedly like pouring rain on sundays.

"Yukihira," Erina murmurs, "Is that why you brought me here? T-To confront me in private?"

"Huh? Which part is confronting to you?" His amorous facial expression quickly turns into confusion as he draws a gap between them once again.

"W-Well, none b-but-" She sighs, mentally cursing at herself for not staying silent and ended up putting herself through this insufferable knot, "Alright, I think there's no way out but to say it s-straight that-"

"Eh Nakiri, it's all good, for real." Sōma's fingers on her lips catches her by surprise and forces her to stop herself from a potentially shameful bable.

"Huh?"

"Y'don't need to say anything, about anything."

"I don't?"

"Yeah, I mean, would it be awesome if you say it? Sure. But for now, I'd say we just live in the moment."

"What do you mean?" Erina questions to her puzzlement. Isn't he always eager for explanations? Especially after all the things that's happened between them, leaving her thought haunted with the urge to confess is just a flick away.

As he places his hand on his lap, he begins, "Let's say you're into me…"

"W-WHAT?!"

"Let me finish, will ya?" Sōma squawks. Her constant denial is probably starting to bore him, so she simply says nothing at his remark.

"Aight, _maybe_ , you are into me, and uh…" His voice tracks off. Golden eyeballs are rolled and throat grumbles as if they're carefully arranging the next utterance, "I'd say the feeling's _maybe_ mutual, so… I think that's now off the table, yeah?"

Though the half-confession gets her a slight mental delight, Erina furrows her brows at his stressed words, and a question pops into her hollow mind: how did such a women-dense guy know?

"How did I know, eh?" He chimes in, jolting her once again with his mind-reading ability, "You kissed me, Nakiri. And that is a loud voice right there. Same goes for how you gulp down cooking."

"H-How could you be so confident, Yukihira? When I-I've never acknowledge you even once."

Sōma rubs his nose at her question, grinning in satisfaction for some reason before he explains, "A wise guy once said: The clearest voice to be heard is something that is shown. So if I look back, I think you've always liked my cooking."

Maybe he's right after all. Though she never said it to his face, her expression sure can't lie. It's painful to her that sometimes her body could betray her like that, especially for this particular redhead.

But other thing has piqued her curiosity: who's this wise guy he's talking about? Her inner fangirl grins thinking that it might be no other than his father, her idol Saiba Jōichirō, but again, his son might just be another thing she cherishes- something Nakiri Erina would never thought she'd admit.

"If you never kissed me, I'd never know that, eh Nakiri. So thanks for doing that." Sōma expresses his thank despite her response of silence.

With such earnestness radiating her face, Erina replies, "For what it's worth, I did learn many things from you too, Yukihira-kun."

"That's another thing we have in common, I guess. And also…" His voice trails off when she finds his callous fingers tangling at her hair ends… almost flirtatiously. Faces are not far apart, her purple eyes are locked with his golden ones, and it shines one of those dreamy James Dean looks she'd heard in song lyrics.

Then there it is again- the sound of her heart beating uncoordinatedly. Oh, how it prays to all gods to not have her blushing for the thousandth time because of this stupid boy.

But maybe, just maybe, it'll always be that way. Maybe she just have to get used to the fact that Yukihira Sōma infatuates her somehow, and for now, the last thing for her to care about is her pride and the fact that their relationship status is... questionable.

She's going for it.

"I know what you're thinking, Yukihira." She tells him faintly, unconsciously licking her lips prior to her hand that's crawling to reach his.

"Huh? You do?" Is all that escapes his mouth when Erina seals the little gap between their lips. She can feel him flinch a tad at her movement, but soon relaxed as her palm makes its way to the back of his neck, slightly intensifying the kiss. Though it surprises her that he didn't see this coming.

This time, she opens her mouth on his. Her tongue nudges the tip of his plump ones and immediately pulls away to tease him deliberately. To her pleasure, the intoxicated look of Sōma's face as she releases him tells her that she finally did it- Nakiri Erina can now be called God Tongue for other reasons.

"Y'see, I liked that, but I wanted to tell you that there's a grain of rice stuck to your hair."

Two strikes in a night. Marvelous job, Erina.

The rosiness on her cheek turns into a sun-burnt red in a flash, and the savage laugh from Sōma just adds more embarrassment to her to the point it's better for her to just vanish her existence. She can't believe she swallowed her pride for this.

"Y-YUKIHIRA! W-would you ever stop talking?!" Erina barks as her hands irritatedly brushing through her honey blonde hair until that stupid grain of rice falls off.

"Y'know I'm not good at that, cutie." He teases, pinching her reddened cheek, "Just remember this: even though you taking a second, third bite of my cooking is good enough for now, I will never stop trying to hear how delicious it is from this mouth of yours."

Though his seducer demeanor scrambles her stomach like a full-on rainstorm- especially now with his face only inches away, Erina hides it well with her sneer, "Try me, Yukihira. I still won't go easy on you."

"You're on." He accepts as he leans in to land in another kiss, and this time, she's prepared. There will be no shocks, no rush, and no rice on her hair. This time, it'll be perfect.

"Oh, by the way," Sōma blurts out and slightly pulls away when their upper lips only barely touch, much to her disappointment, "That wise guy was Isshiki-senpai, who happened to saw us kissing the first time."

Or maybe their perfect kiss would have to wait until a certain creep is securely tied in the basement.

 **»»-¤-««**

 _ **A/N:** Whoa did you guys just seriously read this fic of mine until this point? xD hopefully, this has brought a little joy to your day!  
_

 _I don't really know what to say tbh. It's been a lot of fun writing this trilogy, and I hope you guys are loving it (oh God please do D:). Please let me know your thoughts on this little fun, fluffy trilogy I've written. I know it's far from perfect, but at least I tried not to be that much of a disappointment to the world lol. If you have any critics, politely let me know bcs I'd love to learn from you._ _And if you love this mini series, also let me know! Reading great reviews make my day, no matter how short it is :D_

 _Either way, I just want to thank you guys for your time to read this. Thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows, all that good stuff. You guys have been my motivation to keep writing, which makes you people super awesome! And hopefully, I'll see you in my next stories._

 _Till then, ciao!_ ❤


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